Numsa calls for safe public transport system

The National Union of Metal Workers of SA is calling on the government to create a safe public transport system to reduce road fatalities.

"These ugly road accidents in our province highlight the need for a safer, affordable and efficient public system," regional secretary, Mbuso Ngubane, said on Wednesday.

Since the beginning of the festive season on December 1, there had been 710 fatalities on South African roads, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) said on Tuesday.

Some 592 fatal crashes that led to 710 deaths on the road were recorded between December 1 and December 19, spokesman Ashref Ismail said.

"We strongly believe that the core of these road accidents or fatalities is a result of capitalist greed by both bus and taxi owners, who are not concerned about the safety of people.

"What pains us most is the majority of those who are dying on our roads are workers and bread winners in poor and working class households," Ngubane said.

Numsa and the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union called on traffic authorities to remove unroadworthy vehicles, minibuses and buses on the road.

"Traffic authorities or police demanding bribes from road offenders must be punished including drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol," Ngubane said.

He appealed to the public to refuse to board unroadworthy or overloaded buses and taxis.